


I'll Give You A Ride

by bordering_on_hostility



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, I know you're thinking who the fuck is Puthli
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-28
Packaged: 2018-06-05 01:16:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6683557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bordering_on_hostility/pseuds/bordering_on_hostility
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>heart-eyes-motheracker prompt: I keep imagining Root and Shaw's reactions to the prospect of riding a tandem. Or them riding one into battle, having all the bad guys staring at them, and afterwards everyone's teasing Shaw about it. Also: imagine Shaw giving Root a ride on the carrier of her bicycle :D</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Give You A Ride

“I hope your Machine called the cops” Shaw grumbled as she closed the door of the perp’s apartment behind her. The whole building echoed with the whining of the man she had just handcuffed to a radiator. “Why do we have to take care of this too, again?” she complained

“Puthli’s boss ordered a change of routes, John wouldn’t make it there in time” Root hurried down the stairs unfazed, extracting her phone from her back pocket ”plus, he’s on a stakeout with Lionel”

Shaw scoffed, running after Root “Which could wait and no one would notice” 

Root managed to smile brightly at Shaw as she turned at the end of the staircase to head toward the front door “Which is still about a number they’re dealing with, you know”

“Yeah sure” Shaw growled, following suit ”Why didn’t the Machine warn us sooner?”

“She prioritized” Root stepped out the door into the noon sun “Not every day She has to track down a killer hacker as talented as the man upstairs”

“He cries like a baby” Shaw slowed down to put her gun back in her waistband. They could already hear the police sirens getting closer over the perp’s lamentations. 

“He was going to kill the entire courtroom today not to let Connie Stevens testify” Root went down the last steps, checking her phone as soon as its display got brighter “He deserved our undivided attention”

“He still cries like a baby” objected Shaw

Root checked her phone and suddenly froze on the last step. Shaw had to stop abruptly not to bump into her.

“Root, what the hell”

Root chuckled lightly as she stared intently at her phone 

“It looks as if someone stole my motorcycle”

“What?” Shaw got beside her to take a look at the phone “On the 81st? You gotta be kidding me”

Root turned to meet her eyes and smiled kindly in that unnerving way of hers, tilting her head to the side “She’s saying there’s another bike we can take” then she bypassed Shaw and started walking briskly “This way”

Shaw groaned loudly before going after her “I liked the Honda”

Less than 300 yards further away, Root took a side street while several squad cars converged on the forecourt behind them. 

“She better find us a fast one” Shaw warned ”I’m not losing the truck today”

“Are you sure?” Root muttered to herself

“Hell yes” Shaw raised her eyebrow “last time, it was John’s fault” 

“Sorry” Root glanced at Shaw and repressed a giggle ”I was talking to Her”

Shaw watched her suspiciously as Root stopped in the middle of the alley and stored her phone in her jacket. Then she drew bolt cutters from the purse she was carrying. 

“You just happened to have those with you” Shaw looked at her sideways

Root grinned mischievously “Always be prepared” then she kneeled beside a bicycle.

“Root. Don’t even think about it”

“Puthli’s gonna be operative at the Bethesda Fountain for another eight minutes” Root cut the chain that secured the bike to a pole “Believe me, this is our best option”

“No” Shaw shook her head “We’d be much faster if Lionel were driving us”

“Not in a pedestrian area” Root stored her tool and put her pursue across her shoulder to grab the handlebar comfortably with both hands “Not if we take the shortcut of the lake”

Shaw crossed her arm and stood motionless as Root struggled to position the bicycle in the middle of the alley.

“This thing weighs a ton” Root struggled to speak as she moved the bike “Come on, Shaw, it’s not that bad”

“It’s a pink tandem, Root, it couldn’t have been worse”

Root stopped and sighed “Six minutes”

Shaw stared back at the other woman. Then she looked at the offending object.

“We can always go to Vikram if you want” Root smiled slyly

“No” 

Shaw nearly growled and Root’s smile got twice as big.

“Alright but you’re driving” Shaw quickly mounted on the back seat as Root took the lead

“So you can hide behind me?” Root purred coyly

“Shut up and ride”

-

The Machine’s calculations proved to be correct and they got to the Bethesda fountain just in time to see Puthli packing his stuff, ready to leave. Shaw nearly jumped off the tandem to intercept him before he could move his truck.

“Freeze right there” Shaw ordered peremptorily “You’re not leaving”

The man sighed and started talking very fast in hindi. Shaw struggled to talk back but managed to engage him in a conversation, mainly with gestures. Meanwhile Root parked the tandem beside a bench, watching from a distance as the argument got heated. 

At some point Shaw nearly asked with courtesy, or at least that’s what Root could decipher from her body stance. Then she turned to point a finger at Root and Puthli looked at her. Not receiving a translation nor instructions from the Machine, Root smiled warmly at the man and waved.

Puthli turned to Shaw and resumed talking faster than before. Shaw listened in silence with a long sigh. 

“Should I get there and help you or what” Root cooed

 _“Do not move”_ Shaw ordered through the comms

Puthli started shouting and Shaw turned silent again. She let the man blow off steam without moving an inch while Root looked at them smiling, arms crossed.

At some point Shaw pulled out some money and the man raised his arms, shaking his head vigorously. Then he opened the back door of his truck and disappeared inside. Shaw kept talking to him but mostly waited patiently, right outside. Root started working on her cellphone while the Machine chattered nonstop in her ear.

Five minutes later Shaw appeared by her side with two shopping bags and a water bottle.

“God, the man is stubborn as a mule” Shaw offered Root one of the bags

Root put away her cellphone “All this trouble for a grilled sandwich”

Shaw withdrew the bag she had offered before Root could take it “This is the only one with meat, the most common version of this sandwich...” she raised the bag again “…is vegetarian”

Root couldn’t keep herself from grinning.

“Yes, it has spiced mashed potato, coriander leaves, masala, green chutney, but Puthli is the only one I know within a radius of 50 miles that sells it with actual meat”

Root started heart eyeing her.

Shaw rolled her eyes and offered the bag to Root again. 

“Why didn’t you want me to come there and talk to him?” she took the bag from Shaw and asked for the bottle too.

“I don’t need your help” Shaw scoffed, letting go of the bottle.

Root giggled and had a few swigs of water “Our pink tandem could have gained you some sympathy”

“It’s not “ours”. And I’m not letting that thing anywhere near me again” Shaw sat on the edge of the bench, as far from the tandem as possible.

Root almost took place beside her but stiffened mid-way, staring at an indefinite point in front of her.

“What is She saying?” Shaw had the bag on her legs, but she patiently waited, searching Root’s expression.

“The number spotted John and Lionel so he called for backup” Root sighed “Sorry Sameen, your sandwich will have to wait”

“Rookies” Shaw groaned loudly “Busted on a stakeout” 

“They’re at the Plaza on the 59th” Root put her bag on the bench “ETA 5 minutes, we need to move now”

Shaw took Root’s bag from the bench and squeezed it into her own bag as she got up “If these turn cold, I’m gonna kill them”

“Come on Shaw, we got the right vehicle” Root stepped toward the tandem. Shaw grabbed her by the wrist.

“I have a better idea”

 

\---

 

“Did you really have to yell like that?” John growled as he ran after the number toward Central Park. 

“Next time I wanna see ya…” Fusco wheezed behind him ”…with a squirrel swooping in on your enchilada”

John was already catching up with the number when a black sedan screeched to a halt in front of them. The number kept running toward it while armed men jumped out and started shooting. John took cover behind a statue, pulling Lionel with him as the crowd went crazy around them.

“Girls” he opened the comms while he shot back at the men as best as he could ”Some backup would be appreciated”

“Hey Macho Man” Lionel extracted his gun ”that’s what I’m here for”

 _“No offense, Lionel”_ Root’s chirpy voice spread through the comms _”but we got this”_.

John peered over the statue and the next thing he saw blew him away. Shaw, furiously pedaling a small mountain bike. Root behind her, standing on pegs mounted onto the bike’s back wheel, shooting with her arm raised over Shaw’s head while holding on to Shaw’s shoulder. 

John nearly got himself shot to keep looking at the two of them coming up on their enemies from behind. Root took out several knees before the number’s goons could recover. The men couldn’t even start to shoot back when they were caught in the crossfire, Root on one side, John and Lionel on the other.

The shooting was over in few seconds. The number threw himself to the ground and covered his head, begging for mercy. Shaw screeched to a halt a few feet from him. 

“Joseph DeAngelis” Root jumped off with nonchalance “NYPD, you’re under arrest”

“Hey! That’s my line!” Fusco yelled, pulling out his handcuffs.

John started jabbering “That was…” 

Shaw gave him a dark look as she put the bike on its stand.

John cracked a smile “…impressive” 

Root turned to him, radiant “It was Sameen’s idea” 

“Sure, Cuckoo Nest” Fusco sniggered as he handcuffed the number and forced him to stand ”The whole city knows how much Shaw likes riding bikes” 

John visibly stiffened. Shaw clenched her jaw tight.

“Oh she likes riding something else too” Root turned to meet Shaw’s eyes.

If looks could kill Root would have been horribly murdered.

“Or someone else really” Root winked with both eyes.

“I don’t wanna know” John looked away as he stored his gun.

“Smart guy” Shaw took the shopping bags she had secured to the handlebar of the bike and went after Root who was already walking briskly toward the park.

“Hey!” Fusco called after them ”What about our sandwiches?”

“You shouldn’t have said that, Lionel” John grabbed the number by the arm and dragged him away “Come on, I’m sure we’ll find another enchilada”

**Author's Note:**

> special thanks to @fightponey who proofread this, I will always be grateful for her supervision <3  
> @heart-eyes-motheracker sorry you had to wait a thousand ages, I hope you like it. tell me if you don’t, always up for some critics ;D  
> hope you’re all doing well since poi s5 is 6 days away and I can’t even walk straight byee


End file.
